What are your Macaw's favorite things to eat?

plax

Banned
Banned
Jun 29, 2012
1,512
1
United States
Parrots
'Jack' (Blue & Gold),
'Maynard' (Military),
'Zaffer' (Hyacinth),
'Salsa' (Green-wing)
I thought it might be good to start a thread where forum members can list their Macaw's favorite foods and treats. It might give some of us new ideas concerning food items to offer our birds. I suppose it could also reveal some commonalities in Macaw food preference. I'll start with the items I know my guys like.

Favorite food lists for my 4 (in order of preference - these seem to be their very favorites):

Salsa's list:
popcorn (air-popped with nothing on it)
pasta (I use whole grain)
egg whites
cashews
grapes
strawberries
celery
bread items
apples
bananas
almonds
various other fruits n veggies
other nuts
oatmeal/other cereal grains
everything!

Jack's list:
breads
cashews
pasta
egg whites
carrots
power treats
pecans
almonds
other nuts
apples
sweet potatoes
bananas
grapes
celery
oatmeal/other cereal grains

Maynard's list:
pasta
apples
bananas
bread items
sweet potatoes
celery
pecans
cashews
oatmeal/other cereal grains
other nuts

Zaf's list:
cashews
power treats
macadamias
pasta
bread items
pecans
sweet potatoes
oatmeal/other cereal grains

The items I've listed above are favorite foods for each of my birds. And they're just off the top of my head - I'm sure I've forgotten a few things here and there. While my birds tend to prefer the things I've listed, I offer them lots of other foods as well. And I didn't include most of the 'people food' items they really like which I eat and often share with them. My birds also always get their base pellets each day. And I should mention that the fruits n veggies I get for them are nearly always organically grown ones. Oh, and I've stopped giving them brown rice for now because of the concerns about arsenic levels. I'll wait to see what the FDA does with the issue before I offer it to them again.

So feel free to reply and list any of your Macaw's favorite foods or treats :D
 

tab_xo

Active member
Aug 9, 2012
3,288
1
Queensland, Australia
Parrots
Fargo- Blue and Gold Macaw
haha salsa: 'everything' :p

fargos favourite nuts are pecans.. fav fruit is passionfruit, fav veges are peas and corn, pasta, bread items... but of course he gets lots of others, he just chooses these first out of the bowls..
and then he changes his mind.. some days he loves bananas and mulberries, and the next day he wont touch them -.- haha
 

Darwin'sgirl

New member
Apr 11, 2010
21
0
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Parrots
I have an orange wing amazon named Darwin. He's 31 and awesome.
Well I'm still learning Rocky's preferences, but here's what I know so far: nuts (peanuts, almonds, filberts, and pistachios). He hates walnuts. I'm going to try macadamias soon since there are a lot grown around here. Fruits: watermelon, grapes, apples, bananas, oranges, and mangos. He does seem to like most of whatever we're eating and of course he eats his pellets. I've tried edamame because my amazon loves them, but so far no luck. Not doing so well with vegetables but I'll keep trying.
 

newb

New member
Oct 3, 2012
8
0
I'm new to macaw world but so far monkey nuts,apple and bananna I've worked out....when. u say people food is there anything I should avoid giving to her? Xx
 

Darwin'sgirl

New member
Apr 11, 2010
21
0
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Parrots
I have an orange wing amazon named Darwin. He's 31 and awesome.
Avocado and chocolate are poisonous. Caffeine and salt are very bad for them. Feed plenty of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and pellets. Anything else is a treat.
 

JerseyWendy

New member
Jul 20, 2012
20,995
24
Let's see, it's still REALLY early in the morning, but I'm going to try to list Niko's absolute favorites:

1. Pine nuts
2. Pistachios
3. Walnuts
4. Graham Crackers
5. Pasta
6. Corn
7. Mango
8. Hot wings :eek: <-- he occasionally gets the bone
9. Ritz Crackers
10. Aloe Juice
11. Pomegranate or Pomegranate Juice

I know I'm forgetting tons here because Niko is many things, but he is not a picky eater. :) He gets such a wide variety of food, I think he's more nutritionally balanced than I am. :eek: We buy his fresh fruit and veggies from a local Farmers Market and go organic when possible. He also eats a variety of pellets mixed in with his dry mix. He's on the MySafeBirdStore parrot mix + Goldenfeast mixes.

Oh yes, and he LOVES Honey Bunches of Oats. :54:
 

brianlinkles

New member
Aug 17, 2011
740
1
Oakwood, Ohio
Parrots
i am the mom of three parrots:
Dorothy- African grey (cag)
Bowie- blue and gold macaw
Nellie- hyacinth macaw
Reggie- hyacinth macaw
Marnie- white bellied caique
So far Moses loves apples! He chooses these out of his bowl first. He is still being hand fed so he's been experimenting with his "big boy" food. He mostly just plays around with things and then drops them. However, apples, carrots, broccoli he seems to love. He loves to roll the pine nuts around in his mouth, he doesn't seem to crack it open. I love reading about all the different foods. I have not heard about the brown rice having arsenic. We eat alot of that in this family and I give it to my other two birds. I will now go and do some research.
 
OP
plax

plax

Banned
Banned
Jun 29, 2012
1,512
1
United States
Parrots
'Jack' (Blue & Gold),
'Maynard' (Military),
'Zaffer' (Hyacinth),
'Salsa' (Green-wing)
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #10
Oh yeah, that's right... See? I forgot something! Jack just adores pistachios! And none of my 4 like pine nuts for some reason. I find that fact pretty weird considering most people report that their Macaws love pine nuts. And in Salsa's case it's extra weird because Terrie's husband told me pine nuts were one of his favorite treats. But while he's been here with me he's shown that he loves nearly every food imaginable except pine nuts. So go figure I guess ;) The only other thing Salsa's not that crazy about is Harrison's power treats. Zaf will kill for those!

newb: In addition to avocado, chocolate, caffeine, and salt, avoid sugar as much as possible. They get plenty of natural sugars from the fruits they eat.
 

MaraWentz

Banned
Banned
Mar 27, 2012
1,023
Media
8
2
St.Leonard, MD
Parrots
Red Front Macaw, Elvis, 10,male RIP

Red Front Macaw, Erin, 1.5,female

Goffin Cockatoo, Blossom 2,female Rehomed

Blue & Gold Macaw, Oscar, Male, 21 years old, Rehomed

American Bulldog Mix,
Pine nuts
Chef Boyardee anything
Soda
Vanilla IceCream
Chocolate Milk
These very tiny 3 sided dark brown seeds
 

triordan

New member
Sep 1, 2010
1,042
1
Maryland
Parrots
Remington~ GW Macaw
Ollie/Olivia~ CAG
remington likes almost everything, it would be easier to list what he doesn't like~ he doesnt like:
raw veggies
pine nuts
canteloupe
pomegranate
strawberries
blueberries
 
Last edited:
OP
plax

plax

Banned
Banned
Jun 29, 2012
1,512
1
United States
Parrots
'Jack' (Blue & Gold),
'Maynard' (Military),
'Zaffer' (Hyacinth),
'Salsa' (Green-wing)
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #13
remington likes almost everything, it would be easier to list what he doesn't like~
raw veggies
pine nuts
canteloupe
pomegranate
strawberries
blueberries
So are the things you've listed his 'like' or 'doesn't like' list?
 

WharfRat

New member
Jul 3, 2012
1,403
2
Central Tx
Parrots
2 Bolivian Green Wings-ReaRea & Miri,
2 Yellow Naped 'Zons- Shiloh & Halo,
Hahn's Macaw-Kalani
Pasta.... (spaghetti and rice) A#1 favorite of ALL the birds, it gets louder than u-know-what when I'm cooking that :rolleyes:

In no real order:

Scrambled eggs

steamed crab legs and shrimp (they WISH they'd get it more often)

Pizza crust

Chicken; fried, baked, BBQed, especially the hot wings!!

They love beef but get VERY little at a time.

my homemade FF's (sliced like potato chips)
 

JJones1719

New member
Mar 9, 2011
466
Media
2
0
MD
Parrots
7 Year old SI Eclectus named Guapo, I have a 6 year old GW Macaw named Neleno
I would say that my boys favorite treat by far is almonds.
They cannot get enough of them.
When I can find them, they love palm nuts.queen nuts. walnuts.

Favotite fruit is by far bananas, apples, kiwi.
favorite veggies, carrots, corn, squash,
Both my boys hate peas, i have to remove each and everyone from the frozen mix veggie bad before they will eat them.

They too love Maryland steam crabs. Yummy
 

triordan

New member
Sep 1, 2010
1,042
1
Maryland
Parrots
Remington~ GW Macaw
Ollie/Olivia~ CAG
I would say that my boys favorite treat by far is almonds.
They cannot get enough of them.
When I can find them, they love palm nuts.queen nuts. walnuts.

Favotite fruit is by far bananas, apples, kiwi.
favorite veggies, carrots, corn, squash,
Both my boys hate peas, i have to remove each and everyone from the frozen mix veggie bad before they will eat them.

They too love Maryland steam crabs. Yummy

Really Joe, steamed crabs?
 
OP
plax

plax

Banned
Banned
Jun 29, 2012
1,512
1
United States
Parrots
'Jack' (Blue & Gold),
'Maynard' (Military),
'Zaffer' (Hyacinth),
'Salsa' (Green-wing)
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #19

luv4scjjt

Member
Sep 26, 2012
107
2
upstate ny
Parrots
Jessie,african grey(Timneh)
Bayshing,harlaquin macaw
Fawx,greenwing macaw
Rizzo,greenwing macaw
Polly,catalina macaw
We've only had Bayshing a month but she regularly askes for popcorn and apples. And she'll keep asking till she get's it. lol. And she know's when her water gets dirty from soaking her fruit in it to because she will ask for more water. lol Her water needs to be changed a couple times a day. She unhydrates her fruit in it. Even her fresh fruit will get soaked in water before consumed. lol
 

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